Assistant Principal – Bridge College, Openshaw

Assistant Principal – Bridge College, Openshaw, Manchester

Salary: £57,392.00 with biennial increments

Hours: 37.5 Hours, 41 weeks direct term + 150 undirected hours

Location: Openshaw, Manchester

Closing date: 12 July 2026

As one of the UK’s best employers, we believe in putting people at the heart of everything we do. We are recruiting for an Assistant Principal to join our senior leadership team at Bridge College.

Bridge College is the Together Trust’s specialist education college for students aged 16 to 25 with disabilities, autism and complex needs. The college promotes a multidisciplinary approach to learning and has expertise in supporting students with a wide range of needs.

The ideal candidate will undertake a range of senior leadership responsibilities to ensure students receive an excellent learning experience and achieve positive outcomes.

They will also provide strategic and operational leadership, business development, community engagement and college improvement, supporting the continued development of Bridge College as a high quality specialist further education provider.

Bridge College, Openshaw Manchester

37.5 Hours, 41 weeks direct term + 150 undirected hours

£57,392.00 with biennial increments

• Support the Principal in shaping, communicating and implementing the strategic vision, priorities and improvement agenda for the college and the wider Trust.
• Uphold and model the college’s and Trust’s principles, policies, aims and values.
• Sustain and develop Bridge College as an inclusive, student-focused organisation and an effective learning environment where learner voice is heard, valued and acted upon.
• Contribute to annual business and improvement planning, ensuring that priorities are informed by learner need, quality assurance evidence, operational performance and available resources.
• Promote high expectations and ensure effective multidisciplinary working to enable students to overcome barriers to learning and make strong and sustained progress.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of teaching, learning, support and wider curriculum provision on learner outcomes, and use this analysis to inform improvement priorities and interventions.
• Work with the Principal and senior leaders to ensure the college remains accountable to students, families, governors, commissioners, local authorities, the Department for Education and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with the Governing Body and its committees, attending meetings and reporting on progress against agreed priorities, performance indicators and areas for development.
• Be a visible and positive role model, treating all colleagues and stakeholders fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect, and promoting a positive and inclusive culture.
• Lead, motivate, support and develop staff through effective supervision, appraisal, mentoring and continuing professional development.
• Build leadership capacity across the college by coaching current and aspiring leaders and supporting succession planning and talent development.
• Take responsibility for personal professional development and remain up to date with policy, legislation, guidance and best practice relevant to the role.
• Lead and manage business, community engagement and college improvement functions across the college, including line management of staff and teams within these areas.
• Contribute to strategic service planning and lead on the development, implementation and review of related improvement priorities, ensuring that activity is evidence‑based, outcome‑focused and aligned to the college and Trust strategic plans.
• Establish, implement and monitor short, medium and long‑term plans to improve learner achievement, retention, progression, quality of provision and operational effectiveness, including the annual Quality Improvement Plan.

• A degree or relevant professional qualification in education or a related field.
• Qualified teacher/lecturer status QTS/QTLS.
• Management or leadership qualification appropriate to a post operating at this level.
• Evidence of continuous professional development relevant to…